The present invention relates generally to fuel processing systems, and more particularly to a system and method for early detection of impending failure of hydrogen-purifiers used in such fuel processing systems.
Fuel processing systems include a fuel processor, or hydrogen-generating assembly, which produces hydrogen gas, and a fuel cell stack, which produces an electric current and water from the hydrogen gas and air. Because fuel cells are extremely sensitive to certain contaminants, care is taken to prevent the hydrogen feed to the fuel cell stack from containing more then acceptable levels of these contaminants. Therefore there is a need to detect contaminants in the product hydrogen stream from a fuel processor before the contaminated product stream reaches the fuel cell stack.
The present invention provides a system and method for detecting impurities in the hydrogen product stream of a fuel processing system in sufficient time to prevent the impurities from reaching the fuel cell stack associated with the fuel processor.
Many other features of the present invention will become manifest to those versed in the art upon making reference to the detailed description which follows and the accompanying sheets of drawings in which preferred embodiments incorporating the principles of this invention are disclosed as illustrative examples only.